The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Working on classic cars a pandemic passtime
With time on their hands, these talented builders tinkered through self-isolation
Without question, 2020 was a year like no other. But, with COVID came unexpected opportunities. Essentially, isolation protocols allowed those with access to a workspace and a project more time to focus on the build.
In March, I wrote a column about how I was tinkering through self-isolation, working on a Triumph motorcycle made up of many different years and models spanning the late 1930s to the early 1950s.
That led to several readers reaching out with news about their projects, and, with the New Year upon us, I thought it would be interesting to catch up with a few of them and report on their progress.
I’ll start with my Triumph. By the end of June, the wheels were built and fresh new tires mounted on the rims.
With the wheels in place, however, it became apparent something was not straight. Figuring the neck was tweaked on the frame, everything came apart, including the fork.
Time was spent measuring and assessing, but it wasn’t the frame that was bent. The problem was in the girder fork.
More time spent measuring, and much time machining and repairing the lower steering stem. That’s brought everything back into line.
During the summer, the engine came together up to the point of being able to put the head and rocker boxes in place — that’s something that will happen after the engine is in the frame to continue the mock-up process.
Enough about my project, let’s catch up with other builders profiled in 2020.
Trevor Wannop of Calgary was working on an ambitious build based on a 1940 Ford Express pickup truck. At the time of writing that story in April, he’d finished installing the 5.0-litre Ford Performance Coyote crate engine and was working on the installation of a large 80litre fuel tank and putting in a new driveshaft. He hoped he would be cutting apart the cab and doors in order to add extra metal, effectively stretching the cab.
However, as some restrictions were loosened in June, Wannop found himself golfing, fishing and gardening while also doing boat, tractor and cottage maintenance, “I’m all done with that and have started on the body work today,” Wannop told me in mid-december. “It will be my winter priority.”
In June we heard from Bill Murray of Ladner, B.C., who said the COVID-19 pandemic had allowed him to push the reset button. He was taking time to continue working on his project of 14 years, a 1930 Ford Model A pickup hot rod.
He’d hoped to have his son, Jason, an award-winning GM mechanic, help him install a 5.0L V8 from a GM truck — replacing the 1979 Oldsmobile 6.6L engine he currently has in the Model A.
So far, that hasn’t happened, but Murray spent a good part of his summer finally installing a drywall ceiling in his garage. That meant moving the project and parts back and forth.
But he did have time to further modify the doors on his Model A, finessing the door ends with a curve so they could open without binding. And from a pair of Honda Civic doors, he plans to harvest all of the rods, clips and power window components to adapt into his doors. He also fabricated wood blocks to help transition the interior down to allow upholstery to run under the top rear cab trim.
“Still lots to do, but I enjoy it,” Murray said.
Next, I checked in with Patrick Mccready of Edmonton, who was putting the cab and box of a 1976 Datsun 620 King Cab truck onto the chassis and running gear of a later 1986 Datsun/nissan 720. He’s finished rebuilding the engine, and it’s now installed in the frame together with the transmission. The rolling chassis is ready to go.
However, not happy with the replacement passenger floor pan he’d made earlier, Mccready fabricated one of heavier-gauge metal and welded it in place. He was graciously allowed access to sheet metal equipment at NAIT where he formed the floor pan and a pair of rocker panels. These have been welded in place.
But now, Mccready says, “My build is progressing very slowly at this stage as I really don’t like doing bodywork.”
He assured me, though, that he will get it done.
Finally, I wrote about Calgarian Richard Nyberg in early September. The retired police officer was working on a 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 single cab pickup. During the first phase of COVID lockdown, Nyberg managed to completely cut out and replace the cargo floor and driver’s floor together with several other patch panels. It had been painted by late April, and it’s now on wheels while the engine is ready to be installed.
“I stalled off work on the VW,” Nyberg said last week. “It will be done for the spring, but I’ve moved on to a 1973 Porsche 914.
“I negotiated buying the Porsche from the owner of the shop who painted the VW, and the same day the truck came home with new paint, the Porsche went into storage. These cars are like stray dogs. They just follow you home.”
Nyberg brought the Porsche out of storage in October, mounted the body in his rotisserie and began the messy process of removing the factory-applied undercoating. Now past that point, he’s cutting out rusted metal and welding in fresh patch panels.
Always busy, Nyberg said, “Some days it feels like Groundhog Day around here.”